Medical Malpractice

Negligence & Wrongdoing by Medical Professionals

Medical professionals of all kinds – including nurses, doctors, surgeons, pharmacists and even dentists – have an obligation to provide a standard level of treatment and care to their patients. They are held to a high standard of care due to the nature of their work, the amount of training and education they receive and the fact that their decisions and actions may literally save or lead to the loss of patients’ lives. For this reason, a patient who is injured by any form of negligence or wrongdoing on the part of a medical professional or facility may be able to take legal action to hold the at-fault party accountable for what they have done.

Cases of this kind are typically referred to as medical malpractice claims and lawsuits. Medical malpractice may be defined as any type of negligence or wrongdoing on the part of a health care professional that results in injury to a patient. An example may be a doctor who forgets to check a patient’s chart before prescribing a specific type of heart medication. The patient may have a known allergy to the medication, resulting in a violent reaction when he or she takes it as instructed. Additional examples may be a surgeon who performs the wrong procedure on a patient or an anesthesiologist who fails to properly monitor a patient during surgery.

Types of Medical Malpractice Claims

When patients are injured by any type of medical malpractice, they may be able to seek financial compensation from the responsible doctor or medical facility. This may include money for medical care, lost earnings, future loss of earnings, future medical treatment and emotional trauma. Some of the different types of medical malpractice claims may include:

• Birth injuries
• Medication errors
• Nursing errors
• Emergency room errors
• Anesthesia malpractice
• Surgical errors and malpractice
• Pharmacy errors
• Misdiagnosis
• Failure to diagnose a medical condition

Take this opportunity to learn more about medical negligence and your legal rights. Find a medical malpractice attorney in your area by clicking on a state listed below.